This invention relates to a paper feeding method using a feed roller for winding and feeding a recording material at the top from a storage section in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked on each other, a paper feeder used with the paper feeding method, and a recording apparatus comprising the paper feeder. The invention also relates to an auxiliary roller placed in the paper feeder.
Some recording apparatuses, for example, some printers comprise a detachable paper feed tray (paper tray). The paper feed tray is removed from the printer and a plurality of print sheets (cut sheets) stacked on each other are stored in the paper feed tray, then the paper feed tray is placed again in the printer. To place the paper feed tray in the printer, for example, the paper feed tray is inserted into the printer horizontally from the front of the printer to the depth thereof.
A feed roller is placed at a distance from the front end top print sheet on the attached paper feed tray. When print sheet is fed, it is displaced to the feed roller side by a hopper and is brought into contact with and pressed against the feed roller. Then, as the feed roller is rotated, the top print sheet is wound around the feed roller and is transported.
If a predetermined number or less of print sheets are place in the paper feed tray, the feed roller is placed at a position where it does not come in contact with the print sheet placed in the paper feed tray when the paper feed tray is placed in the printer. However, a larger number of print sheets than the predetermined number of sheets may be placed in the paper feed tray. If the paper feed tray is placed in the printer in this state, some print sheets may come in contact with the feed roller. Since the feed roller is joined to a drive motor, it is configured so as not easily to rotate freely. Therefore, if the paper feed tray is inserted into the printer and placed therein with a print sheet in contact with the feed roller, the sheet of the print sheet in contact with the feed roller may be blocked by the feed roller which does not rotate, and may be bent, wrinkled, or broken in some cases.
On the other hand, a separation pad is placed in the proximity of the downstream side in the paper transport direction of the paper feed tray. The separation pad is configured so that it can be advanced to or retreated from the feed roller.
When paper is fed (namely, when the top print sheet is taken out from the paper feed tray, is wound around the feed roller, and is fed into a transport roller downstream from the feed roller), the separation pad is pressed against the feed roller for clamping the fed print sheet with the feed roller, and if print sheets below the top sheet are about to be transported together with the top sheet, the separation pad separates the top print sheet from the print sheets therebelow. The print sheets below the top sheet separated stop on the separation pad (for example, in the vicinity of the contact center point between the separation pad and the feed roller; i.e., a nip point).
In contrast, at the print (record) time (namely, when printing is executed on transported a print sheet in a print (record) section), the separation pad is placed at a distance from the feed roller for lightening transport resistance (back tension) imposed on the transport roller placed downstream from the feed roller and improving the transport accuracy and the record quality.
However, the rear end part of the top print sheet is still wound around the feed roller during the printing, thus if the top print sheet is transported with the separation pad at a distance from the feed roller, the print sheets below the top sheet on the separation pad may be dragged with the top sheet and be transported to the print section overlapping the top sheet.
Particularly, in a printer having a feeding path shaped roughly like U on side view, which will be hereinafter referred to simply as U-shaped feeding path, where fed print sheet makes almost half a round of the feed roller and is sent in an opposite direction to the direction in which the print sheet is taken out from the paper feed tray, the U-shaped feeding path essentially has a large back tension and to lighten the back tension as much as possible, the feed roller is also rotated together with the transport roller at the print time. Thus, if printing on the top print sheet proceeds and the rear end part of the top sheet is released from being wound around the feed roller, the print sheets below the top sheet on the separation pad may come in contact with the rotating feed roller and be fed.
To prevent such overlap sheet feeding, an auxiliary roller (idle roller) coming in contact with the separation pad at a distance from the feed roller can be placed, thereby sandwiching the top print sheet and the print sheets below the top sheet on the separation pad between the auxiliary roller and the separation pad.
However, if the top print sheet is sandwiched between the auxiliary roller and the separation pad there is a problem of an increase in back tension because of the resistance. Particularly, the U-shaped feeding path described above essentially h as a large back tension and thus it is not preferred that the back tension produced by the auxiliary roller is added.
It is therefore an object of the invention to prevent overlap sheet feeding of print sheets without increasing back tension.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a method of feeding a recording material, comprising the steps of:
providing a feeder, which includes:
a storage section, in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked;
a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the storage section by rotating forwardly;
a transport roller, for transporting the fed recording material by rotating forwardly, the transport roller being rotatable reversely;
an abutment driver, for moving the storage section between an abutment position and a separated position, the abutment position at which the recording materials are abutted onto the feed roller, the separated position being separated from the feed roller; and
a separator, provided with an abutment part, the separator being movable between an abutment position and a separated position, the abutment position at which the abutment part is abutted onto the feed roller to separate the top one of the recording material from a subsequent recording material, the separated position at which the abutment part is separated from the feed roller;
moving the abutment driver and the separator to the respective abutment position;
rotating the feed roller and the transport roller forwardly until a leading end of the fed recording material fitted on the transport roller is transported therefrom by a first predetermined length which is not less than a feeding path length between a leading end of the recording material stacked in the storage section and an abutment center point of the separator and the feed roller;
stopping the rotations of the feed roller and the transport roller;
moving the abutment driver and the separator to the respective separated positions; and
rotating the transport roller reversely by a predetermined rotation amount which corresponds to a second predetermined length which is not less than the first predetermined length.
In this configuration, the rotations of the feed roller and the transport roller are stopped, the separator is at the abutment position and thus the top recording material is fed and on the other hand, the subsequent recording materials stop in the vicinity of the abutment center point of the separator and the feed roller.
Subsequently, as the transport roller is reversely rotated, the top recording material is returned through the feed roller to the storage section. The subsequent recording materials in the vicinity of the abutment center point of the separator and the feed roller are returned together with the top recording material by the intimate contact force between the recording materials (frictional force, electrostatic force, etc.,) as the top recording material is returned by the transport roller. Since the second length is not less than the first length, the subsequent recording materials are naturally returned to the storage section.
Therefore, even if recording is executed while the top recording material is transported after the subsequent recording materials are returned, the subsequent recording materials are not on the separator but in the storage section at the separated position, so that overlap feeding of the subsequent recording materials can be prevented reliably.
Preferably, the second predetermined length is a length in which the first predetermined length is added to a bendable amount of the recording material at a feeding path between the feed roller and the transport roller.
To return the top recording material by reversely rotating the transport roller, the top recording material may be bent in the feeding path between the transport roller and the feed roller. However, in this configuration, even if the recording material is bent, the subsequent recording materials can be returned to the storage section reliably.
In addition, if the top recording material is returned, the fitting of the top recording material with the transport roller is not released and the top recording material is returned reliably, and thereby the subsequent recording materials can be returned to the storage section reliably.
According to the invention, in order to obtain the same advantageous effects, there is also provided a feeder for feeding a recording material, comprising:
a storage section, in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked;
a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the storage section by rotating forwardly, the feed roller being rotatable reversely;
a transport roller, for transporting the fed recording material by rotating forwardly, the transport roller being rotatable reversely;
an abutment driver, for moving the storage section between an abutment position and a separated position, the abutment position at which the recording materials are abutted onto the feed roller, the separated position being separated from the feed roller;
a first separator, provided with a first abutment part, the separator being movable between an abutment position and a separated position, the abutment position at which the first abutment part is abutted onto the feed roller to separate the top one of the recording material from a subsequent recording material, the separated position at which the first abutment part is separated from the feed roller; and
a controller for controlling the feed roller, the transport roller, the abutment driver and the first separator such that:
the abutment driver and the separator are moved to the respective abutment position;
the feed roller and the transport roller are rotated forwardly until a leading end of the fed recording material fitted on the transport roller is transported therefrom by a first predetermined length which is not less than a feeding path length between a leading end of the recording material stacked in the storage section, and an abutment center point of the first separator and the feed roller;
the rotations of the feed roller and the transport roller are stopped;
the abutment driver and the separator are moved to the respective separated positions; and
the transport roller is rotated reversely by a predetermined rotation amount which corresponds to a second predetermined length which is not less than the first predetermined length.
Preferably, the feeder further comprises:
a second separator, disposed at a downstream side of the first separator which is disposed at a downstream side of the storage section, the second separator provided with a second abutment part on which the fed recording material is abutted, the second abutment part being separated from the feed roller; and
a first auxiliary roller, being rotatable freely and abutable onto the second abutment part, an abutment center point between the first auxiliary roller and the second abutment part being disposed at a downstream side of the abutment center point of the first separator and the feed roller.
Here, an angle defined between a leading end of the recording material and the second abutment part, when the leading end is abutted onto the second abutment part, is larger than an angle defined between the leading end of the recording material and the first abutment part, when the leading end is abutted onto the first abutment part in the separated position. While recording is performed, the first abutment part is moved to the separated position, and the first auxiliary roller abuts onto the second abutment part to separate the top recording material from the subsequent recording material.
In this configuration, overlap feeding of the subsequent recording materials at the time of recoding on the recording material is blocked at the second abutment part, so that it is made possible to prevent overlap feeding of the recording materials still more reliably, as described in detail below:
At the recording time, since the top recording material undergoing recording is not sandwiched between the feed roller and the first separator, so that back tension can be reduced and the record quality can be improved.
Since the first separator assumes the separated position at the recording time as described above, it is feared that the subsequent recording materials may be fed overlapping the top recording material by the intimate contact force with the top recording material (frictional force, electrostatic force, etc.,) at the recording time. However, the first auxiliary roller presses the second abutment part for clamping the recording material, whereby overlap recording material feeding is prevented.
Further, the load (contact resistance) when the tip of the recording material abuts the second abutment part becomes larger than the load (contact resistance) when the tip of the recording material abuts the first abutment part. Thus, the press force for the first auxiliary roller to press the second abutment part may be small. That is, the first auxiliary roller presses the second abutment part by the press force smaller than that when it presses the first abutment part, whereby it is made possible to prevent overlap recording material feeding. Consequently, the back tension produced by sandwiching the recording material between the first auxiliary roller and the second abutment part can be made smaller than the back tension produced by sandwiching the recording material between the first auxiliary roller and the first abutment part. Thus, while overlap recording material feeding is prevented, the back tension can also be reduced.
Further, since the abutment center point of the first auxiliary roller abutting the second abutment part is positioned downstream in the feeding direction from the abutment center point of the first abutment part and the feed roller, the subsequent recording materials being fed overlapping the top recording material downstream in the feeding direction from the first abutment part can be stopped at the second abutment part reliably.
In the invention, the term xe2x80x9cabut (abutment)xe2x80x9d also contains to apply press force for abutment, namely, to press against.
Preferably, the first auxiliary roller is separated from the second abutment part while the recording material is fed to the transport roller.
In this configuration, contact resistance with the recording material does not occur and the recording material can be fed smoothly.
Preferably, the feeder further comprises a second auxiliary roller disposed such that a roller face thereof is protruded from a roller face of the feed roller toward the storage section, while the recording is performed.
In this configuration, the second auxiliary roller is placed above the storage section and has the roller face projected to the recording material side from the roller face of the feed roller at the time of recording on the fed recording material. Therefore, the top recording material wound around the feed roller and the subsequent recording materials being fed overlapping the top recording material are separated from the feed roller by the second auxiliary roller. The top recording material is wound around the feed roller and is sent to the transport roller at the recording time and thus again comes in contact with the feed roller and is transported. On the other hand, the subsequent recording materials are separated by the first separator and the tip of the recording material abuts the first or second abutment part, but the subsequent recording materials are separated from the feed roller by the upstream auxiliary roller, whereby the tip is urged to the first and second abutment parts placed facing the feed roller. Accordingly, overlap recording material feeding can be prevented still more effectively.
Preferably, the feeder further comprises an urging member for urging the first auxiliary roller toward the second abutment part.
In this the configuration, the urging member for pressing the first auxiliary roller against the second abutment part is disposed in the proximity of the first auxiliary roller, so that it is made possible to impose load directly on the first auxiliary roller and therefore it is made possible to impose proper load with a small error and with no loss.
Preferably, the urging member is a spring member.
In this the configuration, it is made possible to arbitrarily and easily change the load imposed on the first auxiliary roller by replacing the spring and it is made possible to press the first auxiliary roller against the second abutment part with the most appropriate load. That is, if the press force is provided only by the own weight of the auxiliary roller holder for supporting the first auxiliary roller, etc., the press force cannot easily be changed. However, in this configuration, the load can be easily changed by replacing the spring and it is made possible to press the first auxiliary roller against the second abutment part with the most appropriate load in response to the friction coefficients of the second abutment part and the recording material and considering back tension.
Since the spring is lightweight, it is made possible to reduce the weight of the record feeder as compared with the case where the urging member is implemented as a weight, etc. Therefore, particularly, if shock of drop, etc., is added, trouble of damage, disassembly, etc., does not occur and excellent shock resistance can be provided.
According to the invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus comprising the paper feeder discussed above;
According to the invention, there is also provided a feeder, comprising:
a detachable storage section in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked;
a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the attached storage section; and
an auxiliary roller being rotatable freely, the auxiliary roller disposed such that a roller face thereof is protruded from a roller face of the feed roller toward the attached storage section, the auxiliary roller being movable in accordance with a displacement of the recording material in the stacking direction thereof.
In this configuration, when the storage section is attached, if the amount of the recording materials is small (for example, equal to or less than the stipulated amount), the recording material comes in contact with the auxiliary roller as the recording material is displaced in the stack direction; if the amount of the recording materials is large (for example, greater than the stipulated amount), the recording material comes in contact with the auxiliary roller as the recording material is not displaced in the stack direction. In the latter case, the recording material may come in contact with the feed roller.
Even in the latter case, according to the configuration, the freely rotatable auxiliary roller has the roller face projected to the recording material side from the roller face of the feed roller, so that the recording material first comes in contact with the auxiliary roller rather than the feed roller. The auxiliary roller, which is freely rotatable, guides the recording material in the attachment direction while it is rotated as the recording material comes in contact with the auxiliary roller. Thus, bending, wrinkling, and breaking the recording material as the recording material comes in direct contact with the feed roller not rotating can be prevented.
Preferably, the auxiliary roller is disposed in the vicinity of a side end portion of the feed roller.
In this configuration, the effect of preventing the feed roller from being bent as the recording material comes in direct contact with the feed roller is still more increased.
According to the invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus comprising the paper feeder discussed the above.
According to the invention, there is also provided a feeder, comprising:
a storage section in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked;
a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the storage section;
a transport roller, for transporting the recording material fed by the feed roller while recording is performed;
a separator, being movable between an abutment position and a separated position with respect to the feed roller, the separator being moved to the abutment position to separate the top recording material from a subsequent recording material when the feed roller feeds the top recording material toward the transport roller, the separator being moved to the separated position while the recording is performed; and
at least one auxiliary roller, disposed at an upstream side of the separator, the auxiliary roller being abutted onto the fed recording material to guide the top recording material toward the separator, after separating the subsequent recording material from the top recording material.
In this configuration, the auxiliary roller is placed upstream from the separator. The auxiliary roller comes in contact with the fed recording material for bringing the subsequent recording materials being about to be fed overlapping the top recording material away from the feed roller and guides in the direction of the separator. Therefore, if the separator is brought away from the feed roller and is placed facing the roller face of the feed roller at the recording time, the subsequent recording materials are brought away from the feed roller and come in contact with the separator. Consequently, overlap feeding of the subsequent recording materials is prevented by the frictional resistance between the subsequent recording materials and the separator.
In the paper feeder with the feed roller rotating at the recording time (for example, the paper feeder having a U-shaped feeding path), even if the top recording material is detached from the feed roller, the subsequent recording materials do not come in contact with the feed roller and thus overlap feeding of the subsequent recording materials is also prevented.
Further, the auxiliary roller is placed upstream from the separator and does not clamp the recording material with the separator, so that the back tension imposed on the transport roller positioned downstream from the feed roller can be reduced. Particularly, the back tension can be reduced still more effectively in the paper feeder having a U-shaped feeding path.
Preferably, a roller face of the auxiliary roller is protruded from a roller face of the feed roller toward the storage section, while the recording is performed.
At the recording time, the top recording material is wound around the feed roller, but the subsequent recording materials are separated by the separator and are not wound. According to the configuration, the auxiliary roller has the roller face projected from the roller face of the feed roller at the recording time and on the other hand, the separator is placed facing roller face of the feed roller downstream from the auxiliary roller. Therefore, the subsequent recording materials are brought away from the feed roller by the projected auxiliary roller and comes in contact with the separator downstream from the roller. Accordingly, similar advantages can be provided.
Preferably, the auxiliary roller is retreatable from a position in which the roller face thereof is protruded from the roller face of the feed roller.
In this configuration, at the feeding time, if the stacked recording materials are displaced toward the feed roller by a hopper, etc., placed in the storage section and are brought into contact with and are pressed against the feed roller, thereby starting paper feed, as the auxiliary roller is retreated, the recording materials are brought into contact with and are pressed against the feed roller and paper feed is enabled.
Preferably, the auxiliary roller abuts onto the recording material elastically.
In this configuration, the auxiliary roller comes in elastic contact with the recording material, so that vibration of the recording material caused by transport at the recording time can be absorbed and the recording material can be kept from becoming wrinkled and can be protected.
Preferably, a plurality of auxiliary rollers are arranged in a widthwise direction of the recording material while being supported rotatably.
In this configuration, the rolling motion of the recording material caused by transport at the recording time can be absorbed flexibly and the recording material can be protected accordingly.
Preferably, the auxiliary roller is disposed in the vicinity of a side end portion of the feed roller.
In this configuration, the effect of preventing overlap feeding of the subsequent recording materials is still more increased.
According to the invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus comprising the paper feeder discussed the above.
According to the invention, there is also provided An auxiliary roller, provided in a feeder which comprises: a detachable storage section in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked; and a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the attached storage section.
Here, the auxiliary roller is rotatable freely. The auxiliary roller is disposed such that a roller face thereof is protruded from a roller face of the feed roller toward the attached storage section. The auxiliary roller is movable in accordance with a displacement of the recording material in the stacking direction thereof.
According to the invention, there is also provided an auxiliary roller, provided in a feeder which comprises: a storage section in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked; a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the storage section; a transport roller, for transporting the recording material fed by the feed roller while recording is performed; and a separator, being movable between an abutment position and a separated position with respect to the feed roller, the separator being moved to the abutment position to separate the top recording material from a subsequent recording material when the feed roller feeds the top recording material toward the transport roller, the separator being moved to the separated position while the recording is performed.
Here, the auxiliary roller is disposed at an upstream side of the separator. The auxiliary roller is abutted onto the fed recording material to guide the top recording material toward the separator, after separating the subsequent recording material from the top recording material.
According to the invention, there is also provided a feeder for feeding a recording material, comprising:
a storage section, in which a plurality of recording materials are stacked;
a feed roller, for feeding a top one of the recording materials in the storage section by rotating forwardly, the feed roller being rotatable reversely;
a transport roller, for transporting the fed recording material by rotating forwardly, the transport roller being rotatable reversely;
an abutment driver, for moving the storage section between an abutment position and a separated position, the abutment position at which the recording materials are abutted onto the feed roller, the separated position being separated from the feed roller;
a first separator, provided with a first abutment part, the separator being movable between an abutment position and a separated position, the abutment position at which the first abutment part is abutted onto the feed roller to separate the top one of the recording material from a subsequent recording material, the separated position at which the first abutment part is separated from the feed roller;
a second separator, disposed at a downstream side of the first separator which is disposed at a downstream side of the storage section, the second separator provided with a second abutment part on which the fed recording material is abutted, the second abutment part being separated from the feed roller; and
a first auxiliary roller, being rotatable freely and abutable onto the second abutment part, an abutment center point between the first auxiliary roller and the second abutment part being disposed at a downstream side of the abutment center point of the first separator and the feed roller.
Here, an angle defined between a leading end of the recording material and the second abutment part, when the leading end is abutted onto the second abutment part, is larger than an angle defined between the leading end of the recording material and the first abutment part, when the leading end is abutted onto the first abutment part in the separated position. The first auxiliary roller abuts onto the second abutment part to separate the top recording material from the subsequent recording material, while recording is performed.
In this configuration, overlap feeding of the subsequent recording materials at the time of recording on the recording material is blocked at the second abutment part, so that it is made possible to prevent overlap feeding of the recording materials reliably.
That is, the feed roller is positioned above the storage section and comes in contact with the top recording material in the storage section, thereby taking out, winding, and feeding the recording material to the transport roller positioned in the opposite direction to the direction of taking out the recording material. Therefore, the recording material is fed from the storage section via the U-shaped feeding path to the transport roller.
At the time of feeding the recording material to the transport roller, the first separator assumes the abutment position and the recording material is sandwiched between the first abutment part and the feed roller, whereby the top recording material is separated from the subsequent recording materials and is fed by the feed roller. Therefore, at the feeding time, the top recording material is separated from the subsequent recording materials and is fed to the transport roller. On the other hand, at the time of recording on the fed recording material, the first separator assumes the separated position. Accordingly, at the recording time, the top recording material undergoing recording is not sandwiched between the feed roller and the first separator, so that back tension can be reduced and the record quality can be improved.
At the recording time, the first auxiliary roller presses the second abutment part of the second separator for clamping the recording material and separates the top recording material from the subsequent recording materials. Since the first separator assumes the separated position at the recording time as described above, it is feared that the subsequent recording materials may be fed overlapping the top recording material by the intimate contact force with the top recording material (frictional force, electrostatic force, etc.,) at the recording time. However, the first auxiliary roller presses the second abutment part for clamping the recording material, whereby overlap recording material feeding is prevented.
The second abutment part is placed so that the angle between the tip of the fed recording material and the second abutment part when the tip of the fed recording material abuts the second abutment part becomes larger than the angle between the tip of the fed recording material and the first abutment part when the tip of the fed recording material abuts the first abutment part at the separated position. Therefore, the load (contact resistance) when the tip of the recording material abuts the second abutment part becomes larger than the load (contact resistance) when the tip of the recording material abuts the first abutment part. Thus, the press force for the first auxiliary roller to press the second abutment part may be small. That is, the first auxiliary roller presses the second abutment part by the press force smaller than that when it presses the first abutment part, whereby it is made possible to prevent overlap recording material feeding. Consequently, the back tension produced by sandwiching the recording material between the first auxiliary roller and the second abutment part can be made smaller than the back tension produced by sandwiching the recording material between the first auxiliary roller and the first abutment part. Thus, while overlap recording material feeding is prevented, the back tension can also be reduced.
Further, the abutment center point of the first auxiliary roller abutting the second abutment part is positioned downstream in the feeding direction from the abutment center point of the first abutment part and the feed roller, so that the subsequent recording materials being fed overlapping the top recording material downstream in the feeding direction from the first abutment part can be stopped at the second abutment part reliably.
Preferably, the first auxiliary roller is separated from the second abutment part while the recording material is fed to the transport roller.
In this configuration, when the recording material is fed to the transport roller, the first auxiliary roller assumes the separated position from the second abutment part, so that contact resistance with the recording material does not occur and the recording material can be fed smoothly.
Preferably, the feeder further comprises an urging member for urging the first auxiliary roller toward the second abutment part.
In this configuration, the urging member for pressing the first auxiliary roller against the second abutment part is disposed in the proximity of the first auxiliary roller, so that it is made possible to impose load directly on the first auxiliary roller and therefore it is made possible to impose proper load with a small error and with no loss.
Preferably, the urging member is a spring member.
In this configuration, it is made possible to arbitrarily and easily change the load imposed on the first auxiliary roller by replacing the spring and it is made possible to press the first auxiliary roller against the second abutment part with the most appropriate load. That is, if the press force is provided only by the own weight of the auxiliary roller holder for supporting the first auxiliary roller, etc., the press force cannot easily be changed. However, according to the configuration, the load can be easily changed by replacing the spring and it is made possible to press the first auxiliary roller against the second abutment part with the most appropriate load in response to the friction coefficients of the second abutment part and the recording material and considering back tension.
Since the spring is lightweight, it is made possible to reduce the weight of the record feeder as compared with the case where the urging member is implemented as a weight, etc. Therefore, particularly, if shock of drop, etc., is added, trouble of damage, disassembly, etc., does not occur and excellent shock resistance can be provided.
Preferably, the feeder further comprises at least one second auxiliary roller disposed at an upstream side of the first separator, the second auxiliary roller being abutted onto the fed recording material to guide the top recording material toward the first separator, after separating the subsequent recording material from the top recording material.
Preferably, the second auxiliary roller is disposed such that a roller face thereof is protruded from a roller face of the feed roller toward the storage section, while the recording is performed.
In this configuration, the second auxiliary roller is placed above the storage section and has the roller face projected to the recording material side from the roller face of the feed roller at the time of recording on the fed recording material. Therefore, the top recording material wound around the feed roller and the subsequent recording materials being fed overlapping the top recording material are separated from the feed roller by the second auxiliary roller. The top recording material is wound around the feed roller and is sent to the transport roller at the recording time and thus again comes in contact with the feed roller and is transported. On the other hand, the subsequent recording materials are separated by the first separator and the tip of the recording material abuts the first or second abutment part, but the subsequent recording materials are separated from the feed roller by the second auxiliary roller, whereby the tip is urged to the first and second abutment parts placed facing the feed roller. Accordingly, overlap recording material feeding can be prevented still more effectively.
Preferably, the second auxiliary roller is retreatable from a position in which the roller face thereof is protruded from the roller face of the feed roller.
Preferably, the second auxiliary roller abuts onto the recording material elastically.
Preferably, a plurality of second auxiliary rollers are arranged in a widthwise direction of the recording material while being supported rotatably.
According to the invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus comprising the paper feeder discussed the above.